United States 2011

Wichita Hyatt Regency Hotel
Wichita, Kansas

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Addressing problems in complex systems, such as the air traffic control system, necessitates a collaborative approach between all of the subsystems within the system. In the U.S. we have historically categorized air traffic control errors based largely upon who made the last “mistake,” with the result that one process was used if the last mistake was by a controller, and a different process was used if the last mistake was by a pilot. This presentation addresses the need to stop differentiating based upon who made the last mistake. Instead, we need to bring together all involved subsystems in a collaborative manner to identify and address the issues. The collaborative approach is the best way to assure that the solution responds most effectively to the needs of all involved subsystems and minimizes the possibility of creating unintended results.